The Party
by Amles80
Summary: Chérie and Conrad like parties; Gwendal and Anissina do not; Yozak is nervous. Somehow, all of this makes Gwendal push Anissina and Yozak into making a bet…


On his way through the stable to get his horse for a morning ride, he saw a flash of color in the corner of his eye. Gwendal turned around with a frown.

Yozak was quiet and didn't look at him. Not that it was unusual to see the boy in the stable, but it was unusual to see him without Conrad by his side, and it was unusual not to be greeted by him. Gwendal supposed not even Yozak Gurrier could be cheerful all the time, but if he didn't even say anything, something must be wrong.

"What are you sulking about?" he asked before he could stop himself. There was a chance his brother and Yozak had had a fight or something, and Gwendal wouldn't want to be involved in something like that.

"Why do you care?" Yozak looked up with a frown. "Is that your privilege around here, Excellency?"

"Fine", Gwendal snapped and turned around. "Don't tell me. Sorry about caring, won't happen again."

"It's the party", Yozak said as Gwendal began to walk away. "Conrad said since I'm here and he's going, I can go, too."

_Right, the party._ Gwendal felt something heavy fall down and settle on his shoulders. Conrad had only recently been considered old enough to attend those things and he still thought it was exciting. To Gwendal, the novelty had worn off several years ago. There'd be nobles eating, chatting, dancing, trying to hook him up with this or that 'appropriate' young person… It wasn't that he didn't know how to act or that he wanted to displease his mother, but it was just so _boring_; always the same people, the same conversations…

"So?" Gwendal said. "Aren't you happy? Don't you want to be Conrad's date at the party? I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind."

"Shut up, Gwendal, that's not funny anymore, if it ever was. You know Conrad and I aren't…" Yozak's voice died out and he sighed. "Whatever. You wouldn't understand anyway, Your Excellency."

Gwendal turned around again. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the lanky redhead on the floor of an empty stall. He was curled up like a tight little ball of sadness, knees under his chin, arms around the legs.

"Why do you assume I don't understand, when you haven't even told me what this is about?"

Gwendal realized that Yozak's bad mood might be related to something Gwendal had indeed missed, because he hadn't been around a lot lately. He had a growing number of duties to perform, most of them administrative. He also cherished his free time when he could read or take a long solitary ride, and he also practiced his sword skills. Catching up with his little brother and his friend was pretty low on Gwendal's list of priorities. He had no time for little kids.

Looking at Yozak, he saw that 'the little kid' had grown and wasn't that much of a child anymore. And that made sense, of course, given the fact that someone had decided Conrad and Yozak old enough to attend the Maou's parties.

"Hey", he said and walked up to Yozak to sit down beside him. "You can talk to me, you know."

Yozak tensed and eyed him suspiciously, as if he was looking for some reason to say that he _couldn't_ talk to Gwendal.

"Well, the thing is… I can't dance."

Yozak's blue eyes were like deep wells of agony, and Gwendal frowned. Was _that_ it?

"But…" he said, searching for words that wouldn't sound insulting. "But that's alright. It's natural – everybody understands – you haven't had the… opportunity to learn."

_You haven't been forced from an early age to endure endless hours of dancing lessons, more like it_, Gwendal added to himself.

"But that's exactly it!"

Yozak's arms released his legs, and they fell flat out on the floor in front of him, like a bundle of something falls apart when the string that holds it together breaks. Yozak shook his head and looked at him.

"Don't you see? I'm different; everybody will take one look at me and see that I'm different, that I don't belong… I'm just going to make you and Conrad ashamed of me. That's if you're even going to talk to me. I don't know how to talk to nobles! I can't talk, I can't dance, I can't do anything!"

Gwendal began to see Yozak's point. What seemed to him like a most trivial detail – dancing wasn't that hard and who cared about it anyway – was to Yozak a revealing fact about his background and a sign of inferior status. And it was true. Yozak _wasn't_ a noble and he wasn't born in Shin Makoku, even if he happened to be the best friend of one of the Maou's sons.

"But you can do other things", Gwendal tried. "You can imitate anyone and make people laugh, you're pretty decent with the sword – I've seen you practise with Conrad; I'd say you're even, but you're better than him when it comes to climbing trees…"

"Yeah, thanks, Gwendal…" Yozak rolled his eyes. "That'll come in handy in a ballroom…"

"But it's true, you know!"

A voice chimed in from somewhere above them. Gwendal looked up and saw Anissina on top of a ladder. Just like Yozak, she could be expected to show up almost anywhere, but what was she doing _up there_?

"Have you been eavesdropping? That's so unladylike. And it's not like we're talking about anything top secret, so I can't imagine where the fun is."

"I'm not laughing, am I?" Anissina retorted and began to climb down. Gwendal and Yozak had to move, and she placed her unladylike butt on the floor between them. "For your information, I've been up on the loft looking for something."

Anissina turned to Yozak.

"Anyway, never mind that. Yozak, you _do_ have a talent for impersonating people. I was thinking you could develop that even further by dressing up. You could borrow one of my dresses for the party! You'd just need some stuffing here – "she poked Yozak's chest – "and of course, you'd have to stop playing with swords all the time. Your arms are becoming too muscular already."

Yozak and Gwendal both stared at her. Yozak's eyes went blank and Gwendal suspected he had looked pretty dumb for a moment there, too.

"I'm going to ignore the absurdity of that last statement and just ask you this: Why in Shinou's name should Yozak wear a dress at the party?"

"Why, because he'd be cute", Anissina smiled. "And it would be hilarious! Everybody would be like 'hey, who's that mysterious young lady we don't know'? and go crazy with curiosity."

Yozak giggled, and Gwendal rolled his eyes. No one but Anissina could have thought of something like that.

"You're forgetting something, though", Yozak said. "Dress or not, I still can't dance."

"Doesn't matter", Anissina said. "I'm a noble, and I can't dance!"

"And she says that like she's proud of it", Gwendal mumbled.

"How come you can't dance, Lady Anissina? I thought that was something you all could."

"Well, I _can_, sort of, but I'm no good at it. And thanks to my good, stupid brother, I don't have to worry about it."

"She means", Gwendal explained, "that her brother sent her here in the false belief that Mother would turn her into a lady. But Mother lets her get away with anything."

Yozak smiled. He picked up a straw and chewed on it, and Anissina did the same.

"That's because she recognizes my true talent and understands that I can't be wasting my time with unnecessary things."

She winked at Yozak.

"But when it comes to her sons she has no such scruples", Gwendal snorted and hid his face in his hands. "Shinou help us; Mother will regret this attitude the day you blow up the castle with your 'inventions', because that's what's going to happen one of these days."

"Hey", Anissina pulled Gwendal's ponytail, a little too hard. "Watch your mouth or I'll show you!"

"Hey there, lady!" Yozak laughed. "Don't hurt His Excellency!"

"I don't need you to defend me", Gwendal said and wriggled away from Anissina. "Besides, what's with this calling me 'Gwendal' one minute and 'Excellency' next?

"Don't know." Yozak shrugged. "I guess you just seem so very… aristocratic these days. And you haven't been around much…"

"Well, I don't care what you call me, as long as you pick one and stick to it."

Gwendal got up from the floor. Mission accomplished; the boy seemed more or less back to normal. Now could he finally go and take his horse out?

"You know what", Anissina said. "I think I'm gonna skip that party. I'll just stay in my lab and work on some formulas we can use at the _next_ party. I want to dye my hair red. And then invent something that makes it look like a guy in a dress has natural boobs. Also, Yozak, you need to learn how to walk in high heels."

"Uh, but…" Yozak blushed. "Conrad's going to be disappointed in me if I don't show up." He curled up into a tight little ball of misery again. "I kind of wish I didn't have to go, though. Conrad… it's different for him, after all. He doesn't understand how I feel about it."

Gwendal sighed.

"If it's so important to you, why don't you ask my brother to teach you how to dance? You've got a few more days before the party."

"Oh no", Yozak mumbled. "It would be so… I don't know, I'd feel silly…"

Gwendal stared at him. He did not like to see Yozak sad. It wasn't like when Wolfram threw a fit over something, it was… disheartening. At the same time, he didn't want to commit to something he might have to regret…

"Alright", he decided. "I'll teach you."

Yozak's eyes went wide with surprise. Anissina cheered, and asked if she could watch.

"Certainly not", Gwendal said. "In fact, I want you to _join_ my class. You need to learn to dance; you need it almost as badly as he does."

"What?" Anissina's eyes shot deadly glares at him. "No way. Forget it; I'm not doing anything like that."

"Why?" Gwendal asked not-so-innocently. "Are you afraid he'll be better than you?"

"Absolutely not", Anissina proudly declared and got up from the floor as well, to be able to stare at Gwendal from a more even height. "In fact, I'm going to prove to you both that he's not."

"Is it a bet?" Yozak grinned widely and reached out his hand to the older girl.

"It's a bet!" she replied, took his hand and pulled him up. "Be careful, boy. If I win, and I'm going to, then you'll _have to_ wear a dress."

"And if you lose?" Gwendal asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Even if she did lose – which he was pretty sure of – was there anything he could do to the incorrigible girl that would feel like punishment to her?

"If she loses", Yozak grinned, "then she can't leave the party before the queen does" – they all knew that meant she'd have to stay _the whole time_ – "and she also has to ask Lord von Bielefeldt to dance with her."

Anissina flushed crimson. Gwendal was quite startled by the vision, and then he looked almost admiringly at Yozak.

"How did you know?" he grinned, ignoring Anissina's enraged expression.

"Just simple observation", Yozak said, as if he kept track of people's secret crushes just as easily as he knew the day of the week.

"You lousy little brat", Anissina hissed through her teeth. "Don't you dare suggest I have crush or something on Wolfram's dad."

"I never suggested that", Yozak said. "Did you hear me say that, Gwendal?"

"Nope", Gwendal replied. "So, are you guys coming, or what?"

Anissina was still fuming but Gwendal thought it best not to tease her anymore at the moment. Teaching Yozak to dance was probably going to be challenging and they needed the co-student to be cooperative to make it easier for him.

Teasing Anissina was fun but Gwendal had to admit that she had her bright moments. He thought that her idea about dressing up Yozak maybe wasn't that bad after all – not that it'd have to be women's clothes – because if he kept getting better at impersonating and making 'simple observations' he might be useful in the intelligence service one day.

Gwendal took them to the ballroom.

He ignored their protests; what was the point in starting someplace smaller, when the ballroom was empty and available and that was where they were going to be later anyway?

"Stand over there", he commanded Yozak. "Come, Anissina. When was the last time you danced?"

"Why", she said, reluctantly accepting the hand that grabbed hers. "Why do I have to be first?"

"Because you're the one with background knowledge", Gwendal snapped. "I thought we'd better start with showing him some basic moves. That is, if you remember anything at all."

Anissina seemed to remember that she had a bet to win.

"Alright, but don't use that tone of voice."

Anissina was… less than graceful, to put it mildly. Gwendal failed to understand how she could have avoided learning some of the most basic principles of dancing.

"There's no music", she tried.

"Use your imagination", Gwendal suggested. "Or do you want me to call a musician?"

Anissina blanched, imagining witnesses to her humiliation. Yozak's eyes were firmly fixed on her feet and Gwendal's. Then he asked:

"But what am I supposed to do, Gwendal? What she does or what you do?"

Gwendal hadn't thought of that.

"Oh, um… Traditionally, it's the man's job to lead when a man and a woman dance together, so you should learn to do that. But in order to do it, you must first be comfortable with the steps and everything. So for now… watch her feet."

Anissina looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't.

Gwendal let her go and called Yozak to his side instead. Yozak held on to him a lot less tightly than what she had done, but he was so nervous that his hands were sweaty.

"Okay", Gwendal said. "The first important thing is: to try to relax. Then, feel the beat. You know what the music is supposed to sound like, right? Pretend that you hear it, like this…" Gwendal began to count, _one two three, one two three…_ "And then, move your feet… No, you have to let _me_ decide the direction…"

Yozak's face was beet red and Gwendal was, like he had feared, beginning to regret his decision to teach two hopeless clumsy louts to dance.

"Alright; your left foot first, and I'm moving backwards, away from Anissina…"

It was hard work. But although technically only Yozak and Anissina had something to lose, Gwendal still felt that his pride and dignity really was what was on stake; for that reason, if for nothing else, he refused to give up.

After a while of individual tutoring, he decided to let Yozak and Anissina dance together, and supervised them from the side of the room.

"Yozak, you lead! Anissina, don't fight him on this one; you're only making it worse for yourself. And Yozak, _please_ try not to crush her feet. And try to be more confident. Hear the music!"

When none of them were able to take anymore, Gwendal decided enough was enough. It was almost dinner time anyway, and he longed desperately for a bath.

There was no way he could declare a winner of the competition he all of a sudden was a part of. Yozak was far from a dancer yet, but on the other hand, he wasn't that much worse than Anissina. They would have to keep on practising for another day, or probably more.

"This room", Gwendal said, "tomorrow. Immediately after breakfast."

"Immediately?" Anissina didn't seem to keen on the idea. "Dancing when we've just stuffed ourselves with food?"

Gwendal raised an eyebrow, "Were you planning on going through an entire evening of partying and then a long night without eating?"

She sighed.

"That's what I thought. See you tomorrow."

The next morning, Gwendal thought that his two pupils must have dreamed about dancing, because they actually managed to do a couple of things right. Anissina seemed to have cut down on her 'I hate dancing and I'm only doing this to win the bet' attitude, and Yozak was less nervous.

He had to admit that both of them tried hard; they were still very even.

"You're just saying that", Anissina accused him, "because you think that my winning over Yozak will make you look silly somehow. Stupid male loyalty!"

"That's not it at all", Gwendal protested. "Stupid female suspiciousness!"

"If you two could stop fighting and get back to dancing..." Yozak suggested, and his feet were tapping the floor impatiently.

Gwendal almost had to smile a little.

They worked hard until lunch time, when Gwendal declared that he had other things to do; paperwork to take care of, and a horse he wanted to ride before nightfall.

"But I suggest you two spend your free time practising on your own", he said, and it wasn't really a suggestion at all.

"But", Anissina said, "we're competing against each other…"

"Doesn't matter", Gwendal said. "Get to know your enemy. Practising a lot is the only way to learn this."

They say that 'practise makes perfect'; perfect wasn't the first word Gwendal would choose, but after two more days of training, they were half-decent dancers, and a winner of the bet had to be declared. They all agreed that Gwendal couldn't be the judge; they had to call in a jury. Gwendal's family consisted of four people; brothers, mother and stepfather, so to prevent a draw, three maids and two guards were also brought to the ballroom.

Gwendal felt a little bit bad. He wasn't the one who risked losing the bet, but he was the one who had challenged Anissina. To his relief, both of the contestants looked pretty calm despite this, and Gwendal had to admire their confidence.

Gwendal danced with Anissina first and then with Yozak. He was glad that he didn't have to decide. Anissina was lighter and softer, but Yozak felt more like an ally and was not an unpleasant dance partner now that he had learned how to do it. Anissina had been his friend since childhood and Yozak was an outsider, but he was sort of a friend, too…

In the end, the score was even. Five votes for Anissina, and four for Yozak. Lots of applauds for all of them.

Anissina's triumph was shining on her face and Yozak blushed. Gwendal congratulated both of them.

"Now you'll have to excuse us, everybody", Anissina announced. "This boy and I have serious matters to discuss."

"Can I come along?" Conrad asked.

"No!" Gwendal said before Anissina had time to reply. "Leave them to it!"

One boy in women's clothes was bad enough, in Gwendal's opinion, and he didn't think Yozak wanted his friend to see his humiliation until it couldn't be avoided.

But in the end, it turned out not to be so bad after all.

Gwendal had just begun to wonder where poor Yozak Gurrier was hiding when a hand tapped on his shoulder and an unfamiliar voice asked if she could have that dance.

When he turned around, he saw a girl he did not immediately recognize. She had brown curly hair, she was slim and wore a pretty blue dress that matched her blue eyes.

Gwendal bowed politely like he was supposed to, and took the offered hand to lead his partner out on the dance floor.

"Yozak", he said, "how are you holding up so far?"

"Oh, don't worry, Excellency!" Yozak switched back to his normal voice. "It's pretty fun, actually. Some people seem to believe I really am a girl! Your mom said I was super cute but maybe she was just being nice. I'm almost surprised you recognized me."

"Well", Gwendal said, "the wig is good, and the dress too, but you should use contacts next time! And I've danced with you before, you know; I kind of know your style…"

"True, Excellency." Yozak winked. "You taught me all that I know."

"So it's 'Excellency' again, is it?"

"Oh, you know…" Yozak said drawlingly. "I haven't danced with you as a girl before. It's like the first time we meet; it would be inappropriate for me to use your given name."

"You're unbelievably silly", Gwendal sighed and rolled his eyes, trying but not quite managing to suppress a smile.

"I know", Yozak admitted.

Yozak seemed unusually pleased with himself, and surprisingly at ease considering how he had dreaded the situation. Was knowing how to dance really that important after all? Or was it that the dress allowed Yozak to pretend he was somebody else? Or was it because he was dancing with someone he considered a friend?

Whatever the reason was, Gwendal had to admit that this was not the worst one of all the parties his mother had forced him to attend.


End file.
